Koodankulam nuclear project safe: Jayalalithaa

Chennai, Sep 16 (IANS) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa Friday appealed to the protestors demanding closure of the Koodankulam atomic power plant to call off their fast, assuring them that the under-construction plants cannot be “damaged even by a tsunami”.

Over 125 people are fasting since Sep 11 to demand closure of the 2X1,000 MW power plant being built by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) with Russian help.

“The nuclear power plant is located in a place where there is no probability of an earthquake. The reactor is built 7.5 metres above the sea level and will not be damaged even by a tsunami,” Jayalalithaa said in a statement issued here.

Jayalalithaa said the plant has four standby power generators in order to generate power to cool the reactors. The generators are located nine metres above the sea level.

She said the plant, in Tirunelveli, did not suffer any damage during the 2004 tsunami.

Jayalalithaa said that she held detailed discussions with the officials of NPCIL who explained to her the safety features of the plant.

Villagers, mainly fishermen around Koodankulam, around 650 km from here, are protesting against the power plant fearing possible radiation and impact on their livelihood.

According to NPCIL officials, one of the two reactors will be commissioned this year.